Suggest a Link

Resources

On this page, you'll find a list of resources for local business, federal agencies, independent research organizations (a.k.a. 'think tanks'), local government, technology companies, and the arts, all available for your investigation. A box is available in the left-hand column for you; if you find links or organizations you feel should belong here, please feel free to submit them using that box.

Washington, DC Chamber of Commerce

Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Commerce in Washington, DC is, like other chambers of commerce around the country, a group of local businesses that work together in their own best interest. The Chamber can advocate on its members' behalf and provide an opportunity for members to network and develop important partnerships.

This link leads to the full directory of DC Chamber members, a total of nearly 1,200 businesses and companies that are interested in working together locally and in support of the local business community and the clients they serve. This listing can be narrowed by category or by searching for the name of a specific business you're interested in.

One thing to remember about the local Chamber is that it's not necessarily composed solely of small businesses of the mom-n-pop variety; you will see large companies represented, like AFLAC. AFLAC, for example, has several smaller offices throughout the District, owned and run by individuals; those individuals are who choose to become members of the Chamber.

This is important to remember because when investigating careers in AFLAC's category (insurance), don't be afraid to investigate those offices as well; you're not necessarily signing up for a career with the parent company itself, but rather in that specific office, which can offer a unique experience all its own.

Federal Government

The Federal Government is very, very large. And Washington, DC is very much a government town; all major federal agencies are represented here in town, as well as many smaller administrations. As such, it is difficult to find a comprehensive listing of all federal agencies with offices in the DC area.

This is The List. A little overwhelming? Yes. But it's manageable. Take a closer look; you'll see that some of the agencies listed are actually state agencies; all of the state governments are represented here, mostly as links to lists of their own departments and agencies. When you ignore all of those, the list becomes more reasonable.

Another way to narrow things down a little further is according to branch: legislative (both houses of Congress), judicial (Supreme Court), and executive (the President).

Think Tanks

Think tanks represent a major Washington, DC industry. What the term really refers to is a non-profit organization that focuses primarily on research on public policy issues. Those think tanks may be unbiased, or they may explicitly favor one ideology over another, but the focus is always on research and offering statistical data from which to draw conclusions about public policy, politics, and society. Their work may be self-directed or be commissioned by corporations, Congress, agencies, departments, or administrations.

Technology

The National Capital Region is one of the country's fastest-growing areas of technological development. Numerous start-ups emerge every month, in addition to the mainstay titans, like Raytheon and Northrop-Grumman.

Arts

In addition to the government and technology, Washington, DC is a culturally vibrant town. Its dizzying array of museums, galleries, theaters, and public performances is hard to find anywhere else. Here are some resources for more information.